Copper enzymes that use oxygen in unique ways to power metabolism
Official title: Multinuclear Dioxygen-Utilizing Copper Enzymes: Diverse Roles for Aromatic Redox Active Amino Acids
Funded at Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ · NIH-11381009 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aerospace-friendly-sounding title aside, this grant explores how copper-containing enzymes use oxygen to drive important chemical reactions in cells and what role aromatic amino acids play in those processes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Blacksburg, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $399,903 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM150762-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11381009 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable to this grant as described (basic biochemistry and mechanistic studies in enzymes, not a patient-facing trial).
✕Less likely to help
No direct patient participation or benefit described in the grant as written.
What this research studies
This project dives into how certain copper enzymes enable cells to breathe and use oxygen to perform oxidative chemistry. It focuses on three classes of copper enzymes, including a newly identified BURP-domain group, and investigates how aromatic amino acids like tyrosine and tryptophan participate in the catalytic steps. The researchers will study the enzyme active sites and the redox chemistry that coordinates copper, iron, and substrates. The goal is to uncover fundamental mechanisms that could explain how these enzymes accomplish difficult oxidation reactions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of how oxygen-using enzymes work could inform treatments or diagnostics for diseases related to cellular respiration and oxidative stress.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work in bioinorganic chemistry has shown that aromatic amino acids can influence enzyme catalysis, with this project aiming to extend those insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ
Blacksburg, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hematian, Shabnam — Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ
- Study coordinator: Hematian, Shabnam
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.